This invention relates to battery powered circular saws for cutting lumber or the like.
While not as popular as corded AC electric motor driven saws, battery powered circular saws are gaining in popularity due to the convenience of not requiring an electric cord and their lightweight, easy to use size. Battery powered circular saws were typically made using a smaller diameter blade, typically 4xe2x80x3 to 5xc2xdxe2x80x3 as opposed to the traditional circular saw which uses a 7xe2x80x3 to 8xe2x80x3 diameter saw blade. The small diameter blade allows a thinner kerf (cut width) resulting in less energy usage and a longer battery life. A 5xc2xdxe2x80x3 diameter circular saw can easily cut a standard 2xe2x80x3xc3x974xe2x80x3 board and if properly designed, can even cut a 2xe2x80x3xc3x974xe2x80x3 board when the blade is inclined at 45xc2x0.
Early battery powered circular saws were built much like a conventional circular saw with a battery pack merely mounted behind the electric motor. Subsequently, the industry realized that by mounting the battery rearward of the motor, with a horizontal handle extending there between, the saw""s balance could be improved. Horizontal handle battery saws with the rear battery orientations, however, required in the user""s wrist to be flexed at an uncomfortable angle when the saw base plate was adjusted to the minimum blade extension orientation. Additionally, prior art saws generally contain bulky handles due to the battery placement.
It is one of the objectives of the present invention to provide a battery powered circular saw having a handle orientation which is comfortable to the user when the base plate is mounted at the fully extended or minimum blade extended orientation. A further objective is to provide a slimmer handle for improved grip.
Accordingly, a battery powered circular saw is provided which has an electric motor rotatably driving a spindle which supports a thin circular saw blade normal to the transverse spindle axis. The motor housing and handle assembly includes a motor housing portion for supporting the electric motor, an elongate tubular portion housing extending rearwardly longitudinally from the motor housing portion generally perpendicular to the transverse axis and an elongate primary handle having a forward end attached to and spaced above the motor housing portion and a relatively lower rearward end affixed to the elongate tube or handle wherein the primary handle is inclined relative to the elongate tubular house at an angle xcex2 which is 15xc2x0 to 45xc2x0. A battery pack is attached to the rearward end of the primary handle and has an elongated projection which extends into the elongate tubular housing to electrically connect the battery pack to the electric motor.